Senior Engineering Manager

Company Overview

Champion Petfoods is an award‑winning pet food maker with a reputation of trust spanning 35+ years. Founded in a small town in Alberta, Canada, Champion – with its ORIJEN and ACANA brands – is a key player in the global premium pet food industry across three major geographic regions.

The Senior Engineering Manager leads a small, high‑performing engineering team (3 direct reports) while managing approximately $30 MM in annual capital expenditures. The role focuses on planning, execution, and delivery of capital projects, ensuring alignment with business objectives, operational efficiency, safety, and financial targets.

• Plan, prioritize, and oversee execution of $30 MM annual capital project portfolio.
• Develop and manage multi‑year capital plans aligned with company OGSM and operational needs.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget.
• Lead project justification, including ROI analysis, cost estimation, and risk assessments.
• Manage vendor selection, contractor performance, and contract negotiations.
• Drive rigorous project governance, including milestone tracking, reporting, and issue resolution.

• Provide technical direction and review for project designs, specifications, and execution plans.
• Ensure compliance with engineering standards, regulatory requirements, and safety guidelines.
• Oversee design reviews, risk assessments, and commissioning activities.
• Drive standardization, best practices, and engineering excellence across projects.

• Develop and manage capital budgets, forecasts, and expenditure tracking.
• Ensure accurate financial reporting and variance analysis.
• Identify cost‑saving opportunities and improve capital efficiency.
• Partner with finance to develop business cases and ensure financial discipline.

• Partner with operations, supply chain, finance, and other stakeholders to define project requirements and priorities.
• Communicate project status, risks, and outcomes to leadership.
• Align capital investments with operational strategies and long‑term growth plans.

• Identify opportunities to improve project delivery processes, tools, and methodologies.
• Implement best practices in project management (stage‑gate processes, lean principles).
• Drive lessons learned and knowledge sharing across projects.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or related field required).
• Master’s degree or MBA preferred.

• 7‑12+ years of engineering experience, including capital project management.
• Proven experience managing capital budgets in the range of $10 MM–$50 MM annually.
• Experience in industrial, manufacturing, supply chain, or operations environments preferred.

• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Financial acumen and experience building capital justifications.
• Leadership and team development capabilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to balance strategic planning with hands‑on execution.
• Strong problem‑solving and decision‑making skills.
• Familiarity with engineering design tools, project management systems, and ERP platforms.

• Capital project delivery (schedule, cost, scope).
• Return on investment (ROI) for capital projects.
• Budget adherence and forecasting accuracy.
• Team performance and engagement.
• Safety and compliance performance.
• Continuous improvement and cost savings achieved.